Private Graham E V Waddell

Graham Edward Valentine Waddell,son of Herbert Valentine Horrocks Waddell and Alice Evelyn Waddell, of West Ham, Essex. Enlisted into The Green Howards (Yorkshire Regiment) In June 1940, and was serving in the 5th Battalion, in the Middle East when he volunteered for Airborne Forces.

He was one of the few men that had managed to escape the capture of the entire 150th Infantry Brigade, of the 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division in Libya in June 1942.

Graham did Parachute Course K41 in Palestine, 13 to 19 May 1943.

He was a member of the Defence Platoon, 4th Parachute Brigade Headquarters on Operation ‘Slapstick’, which was the naval landing by the 1st Airborne Division at the Italian port of Taranto in September 1943.

He was killed in action on the road south of Castellaneta on the 11 September 1943. He was 26 years old when he was killed.

Graham now lies at rest in Bari War Cemetery, II. A. 21.

NOTE: From available Records it appears that the men of the Defence Platoon, 4th Parachute Brigade Headquarters were not shown as members of The Parachute Regiment until late 1944. Therefore Pte. Waddell and his five comrades killed on the 11/09/1943 are only shown as attachments on the CWGC web-site.